Virat Kohli, the Indian batting powerhouse, is set to return to domestic cricket,
With plans underway for the former India captain to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The renowned stadium has obtained conditional clearance from the Karnataka government, allowing cricket to resume months after safety concerns pushed it off the calendar.
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been under examination since the deadly stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL win celebrations in June, which claimed 11 lives. A judicial inquiry by the Justice John D’Cunha Commission declared the stadium fundamentally unsafe for large events, resulting in a stalemate in which Bengaluru lost many fixtures, including Women’s World Cup matches.
However, the Karnataka Cabinet has approved in-principle clearance for the stadium to host matches again, subject to strict compliance with the commission’s safety and crowd-management recommendations. Venkatesh Prasad, the newly elected president of the KSCA, met with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, and other top officials to discuss bringing cricket back to the venue.
KSCA is considering allowing 2,000 to 3,000 spectators
The immediate impact of the clearance could be Kohli’s presence at the Chinnaswamy in domestic colours. With security and logistical challenges surrounding Alur, the KSCA is planning to move Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy matches to Bengaluru. Kohli and Rishabh Pant have both been named in Delhi’s probable squad and are expected to be available for the first three games of the competition.
Delhi is scheduled to play Andhra and Gujarat at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, potentially seeing the return of the star cricketer to the ground he had made his own in the IPL with RCB. To manage interest around the fixture, the KSCA is also considering allowing 2,000 to 3,000 spectators by opening select stands.
Virat Kohli availability follows the BCCI’s directive that centrally contracted players must feature in domestic tournaments when international duties permit. Coming off a Player of the Series performance in India’s ODI series win over South Africa, Kohli is expected to boost Delhi’s batting order. Meanwhile, Pant will be keen for game time after missing out in recent ODI fixtures.
India
